Tutorial: The Difference Between Backup and Sync

In our previous postings I've explained how to set up an automatic backup and a sync folder. As there has been some confusion in terms of the difference between the two folders, let's have a look at them in detail.

The Backup Folder
A backup will save the files stored in your local source computer directly to Wuala.
This job will be done automatically, depending on the time you have set in your backup settings. The aim of this feature is to create an additional copy of your files in case your computer gets stolen or crashes. Therefore, you cannot edit the files in Wuala. You can only edit the files in your local folder.

The Sync Folder
A syncronisation allows you to synchronize a Wuala Sync folder between multiple computers. You can connect as many computers as you want. Edits in the local folder will be transmitted to every computer which is connected to the Wuala Sync folder. All changes will be updated instantly. Further, you can also add files to your Wuala Sync folder and have them appear on all your connected computers. Note: If you delete a file in your local folder, the files will be deleted in the Wuala Sync folder and on all connected computers. However, the files will not be lost. You will be able to restore them from the Wuala Trash.

In addition to setting up a sync folder for yourself, you can also sync files in groups. Be cautious though and only sync files with contacts you know.

Don't forget: Backup is used to create an additional copy of your files . You only have read access. Sync is used to create a workspace enabling you to have identical local folders on all your computers.

Tutorial: How To Setup Sync

With our recent update it is easy to backup your files automatically and keep your files up to date on all your computers, regardless if you're working in the office or at home. The following posting will show you how to sync your files online and across multiple computers with just a few clicks.

Setting Up Sync
1. Cick on the green 'New' button and choose 'Sync'.

2. A window will open. Click on 'Select folder'.

3. Choose the folder you want to sync and click on 'Open'.

4. Wuala will have assigned a folder on Wuala by default. Click on 'Select folder' if you do not agree with the default folder.

5. Choose the Wuala folder where you want to create your sync folder and click on 'Ok'.

6. Click on 'Ok' to create your sync folder. You can now edit and add files directly on your local computer or edit and add them to your Wuala account All files will be updated accordingly on Wuala and on your local computer.

Adding Additional Sync Folders
As soon as you log in to Wuala on another computer, you will receive the following dialog asking you if you want to sync the folder on Wuala to your local computer.
Click on 'Choose folder' to define a specific local folder. Your files are now up to date on every computer. Files that are added on one computer, are automatically accessible on your other computer.

Sync Indicators
The sync indicators give you direct feedback if your files have been synced or not. A green tick tells you that your files have been successfully synced, while the blue icon indicates that your files are currently being synced. As a Window user, you will even see this indicator in the Windows Explorer.

In tomorrow's blog posting I will explain the difference between backup and sync. Stay tuned.

Tutorial: How To Setup A Backup

Following yesterday's update (backup and sync for everyone), I will now explain how to set up an automatic backup.

Setting Up A Backup

1. Click on the green 'New' button and choose 'Backup'.
2. A window will open. Click on 'Select folder'.
3. Choose the folder you back up automatically and click on 'Open'.

4. Wuala will have assigned a folder on Wuala by default. Click on 'Select folder' if you do not agree with this default folder.

5. Choose the Wuala folder where you want to create your backup and click on 'OK'.

6. Click on 'OK' to create your backup.

Configuring Your Backup

Go to Window > Backup Overview and select the folder. Click on the settings icon.

Here you can now define the interval of the backup: continuous, hourly, daily, weekly or monthly.
Note: Wuala needs to be running in order to backup the files.

Setting A Backup Filter

If you do not want to backup all files to Wuala, you can set a filter in order to excluse specific files from your backup. Go to Window > Backup Overview and select the folder. Click on the settings icon and specify your filter.

There are two ways to specify the filter, you can either write "" followed by a regular expression or a partial filename combined with one or multiple asteriks (*). E.g.: .*\.jpg is the same as*.jpg. You can specify multiple rules by separating them with a comma (,). For example, you can specify a filter "*.pst, img*.jpg" to exclude all files and folders whose name ends with ".pst" as well as all files and folders whose name starts with “img” and ends with ".jpg".

Please note that as long as the option “When inserting files include system files such as ‘thumbs.db’” is disabled in your settings, system files and temporary files will never get backed up.

If you have any questions on how to backup your files, do not hesitate to contact us at support@wuala.com. We will continue this tutorial series tomorrow and will explain how to set up sync.

Hottingen: New Style & Full-Feature Set

Hottingen, our newest release, brings along some major modifications. Following our strategy of being the most secure and comprehensive online storage application, we have made some fundamental changes.

Full Feature Set
We have made our pro features - automatic backup, sync, file versioning and time travel - available for everyone at no cost. You can now have your files backed up to Wuala automatically, sync them across multiple computers and access previous versions of files without paying a dime. Hence, you profit from a complete online storage solution. In case you're using backup and sync for the first time, don't miss tomorrow's blog posting where we'll explain how to set it up.

New Style
Have you seen the tweaks to our interface? Wuala is now lighter and more modern. With the simplified navigation creating a backup, sync or a group is now done with just one click. This simplifies the process and clearly enhances your user experience.

Sync Indicator
With our sync indicator you now know if your files have been correctly synced with all your computers. A green tick tells you that your files have been successfully synced, while the blue icon indicates that your files are currently being synced. As a Window user, you will even see this indicator on all your backup folders and directly in the Windows Explorer.

Business Groups
Developed for teams, associations and SMBs, Business groups offer the option to share one big storage pool with your team or group members. Business Groups are private groups, however the storage for files is charged to the group itself and not to the individual user. In order to create a Business Group you need a group code, which can be bought on our website. Learn more at www.wuala.com/business.

Wuala's Encryption Revisited

As a secure online storage provider, Wuala employs an elaborate encryption scheme to ensure the privacy of our user's data. Since this encryption process is quite complex, I'd like to give you my recommendations on which texts you should read in order to understand the technology behind Wuala.

For Beginners
For starters our security page gives you a good overview. If you want to know more, be sure to read 'Wuala's Security in a Nutshell' or our our latest posting 'Wuala's Encryption For Dummies', which is a great introductory post aimed at giving an easy, but in-depth overview about how Wuala handles uploaded and shared files. Further, be sure to look at this article and this article, both highlightning Wuala's security.

For Intermediate Users
In 'Why Encryption Matters' our CTO explains why Wuala uses client-side encryption and why this is important. In his lunch talk 'Cloud Storage Security' Luzius talks about data security (in Germany only).

For Advanced Users
For advanced users, I highly recommend the publication 'Cryptree'. Cryptree is a cryptographic tree structure which facilitates access control in file systems operating on untrusted storage. In addition, you could also watch the Google Tech Talk explaining the technology behind Wuala.